“Ottawa failing its veterans, author says — A Nova Scotia veteran is taking on Veterans Affairs Canada in his new book, A Dirty Little Skirmish. David MacLeod served in the Canadian military for 27 years, 17 in infantry and 10 in intelligence. During that time, he witnessed conflicts in Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, but his latest battle has been on home soil ….”

“Navy widow says Veterans Affairs ‘cold’ — Natasha Mohr’s husband died on Christmas Day in 2008, just two months after he was diagnosed with an advanced, aggressive brain tumour. The cause, according to an oncologist with more than 20 years of experience dealing with brain tumours, was exposure to carcinogens during his service with the Canadian military ….”

Other

Stuart Langridge, R.I.P. “Chief of the Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, responds to recent coverage by the Ottawa Citizen”

Via the Pentagon Info-machine “Commanding general visits troops and validates training exercise across the Canadian border — On March 16, 2015, a group of Army Reserve Soldiers made history here by crossing the border into Canada to perform long-haul transportation operations in conjunction with the Canadian army as part of exercise Nationwide Move 15. Now, just over three-months later the exercise is drawing to a close and Brig. Gen. Jonathan J. McColumn, commanding general of the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), recently took the opportunity to visit with some of the Soldiers involved with the mission, as well as some of the Canadian Army commanders who helped facilitate the movement of approximately $72.5 million worth of vehicles and equipment more than 2,500 miles across the country ….”

“How Harper froze out scientists, triggered Arctic debacle — A prime ministerial decision can have negative and long-lasting repercussions, especially when it consists of a knee-jerk response made without the benefit of a thorough appraisal of the issues at stake. This is the story of such a decision and of its ramifications ….”

“Federal Court of Appeal clarifies test for veterans’ entitlement to disability pension benefit — In the recent decision Anne Cole v Attorney General of Canada (2015 FCA 119, Ryer J.A., concurring reasons by Gauthier J.A.), the Federal Court of Appeal clarified part of the test for establishing a veteran’s entitlement to a disability pension. The case also confirmed that entitlement decisions of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (the “VRAB”) that engage discrete points of law are to be reviewed by the courts on the less deferential correctness standard ….”

“Central Asia Is a Sitting Duck for Islamic State — The appearance of Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov in an Islamic State propaganda video on May 27 sent a chill across Central Asia. The head of Tajikistan’s Special Assignment Police Unit (OMON), a key element in President Emomali Rahmon’s security apparatus, had disappeared shortly before. In the video he promised to return to wage violent jihad ….”

“Forces make town halls ‘priority’ — All officer cadets and chain of command at Royal Military College of Canada will be required to attend Canadian Forces’ Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct town hall meetings, an official says ….”

“Some Mother Canada patrons ‘unwavering’ in support — A 10-storey war memorial proposed for Cape Breton Highlands National Park is plagued with controversy, but a star-studded list of honorary patrons continue to throw their names behind the project. The list includes a former prime minister, celebrated artists and high-profile journalists ….”